Category Archives: Raul Ibanez

The New York Yankees could possibly lose designated hitter/outfielder Raul Ibanez in free agency.

The Phillies are apparently one of the few teams interested in picking up Ibanez, according to Ken Rosenthal. Along with the Phillies, the Mariners and Rangers are interested in Ibanez.

The Phillies are the only National League club on that list, which is a bit of a surprise. A reunion with Ibanez would receive a mixed response from the fans, seeing as they don’t need another aging left-handed hitting corner position bat.

The Phillies dropped their opening game of Spring Training, 8-5, to the New York Yankees Saturday afternoon in sunny Clearwater in front of a sold out crowd.

Cole Hamels pitched very well and efficient in his first start of the Spring. The left-hander went two innings, allowing a run on three hits while striking out one. He faced nine batters and threw 15 pitches.

Former Phillies Raul Ibanez started as the designated hitter. He drove in the lone run off Hamels, a bloop double down the right field line in the 1st inning.

Jonathan Papelbon made his one-inning spring debut in the 5th inning. He cruised through three batters, inducing two pop ups and a fly out on a nice play by Tyson Gillies in center.

Realistically, how much longer is the window open with this current core? – @Realdeal411

This is assuming the Phillies were going to continue basing the heart of their order around Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Hunter Pence as well as Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz and a rotation with Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee?

If that were the case, next year at the longest. They are now in the echelon of franchises that make improvements via trade and free agency (Boston and New York to be specific) and they are going to have to do just that.

They have already started that method by acquiring Halladay, Lee, Pence, Roy Oswalt and Jonathon Papelbon since winning their last World Series. But as we have seen already, the current infield has very few years left of being key crucial parts in their line up and who knows how much longer Doc and Lee have at the top of the mountain before the Phils need a new staff ace.

Can you smell it in the air? Spring is here … well not here, but in Clearwater Florida it is.

Phillies Pitchers and Catchers have officially reported and the smell of a new season is upon us. Last year is now behind us and as Phillies fans, we can look ahead. We now look towards a new team, a team with some question marks; but also a team with a lot of hope.

There were many little changes this off-season that may go a long way for the Phils. Changes that include a better bench, a veteran lead bullpen, questions in left field, first base and third base, but hey, what’s a new year without questions?

In a move to get compensation for possibly losing three crucial free agents this off season, the Phillies offered arbitration to closer Ryan Madson, short stop Jimmy Rollins and left fielder Raul Ibanez.

All three have until December 7 to accept or decline the arbitration. If they accept, they will sign a one-year deal with the dollar amount determined through arbitration. If they decline and sign elsewhere, the Phillies will be compensated for the loss.

Both Rollins and Madson are considered elite free agents. If they sign elsewhere, the Phillies will receiver two picks: one being a sandwich pick, and the other depending on where the signing team’s first-round selection falls – if it’s a top 15 pick, the Phils get a 2nd rounder. If it’s below, the Phils get that pick. In this case, they’d hope a good team signs one of the free agents.

With the Phillies signing Jonathan Papelbon last week, it looks like the Phils will be getting compensation from Madson, who will be seeking a nice pay day elsewhere.

Just reading it summarizes the dominance of the Phillies 2011 regular season. But despite breaking a franchise record that stood for over four years, the season ended in disappointment.

Many questions were raised towards the end of the season and soon following the Phillies elimination in the Game 5 of the NLDS to the eventual champion Cardinals. Is this the greatest Phillies team of all time, even without a championship? Is this the most disappointing Phillies season to date?

It’s the second straight season the Phillies boasted the best record in all of baseball (won 97 games in 2010). It was also the second straight season the Phillies failed to win the National League pennant after back-to-back trips in 2008 and 2009 that ended in one World Series title.

In fact, since winning in 2008, the Phillies have failed to match or exceed the previous season’s feats, leading to those wondering if next season – a season that could be without Ryan Howard for much of the season as well potentially losing some key players – would continue the trend and see the Phils miss the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Ryan Howard watches his three-run homer leave the park in Game 1 of the NLDS on October 1, 2011. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

It was Kyle Lohse among all people.

And it didn’t take until the 6th inning before someone on the Phillies realized this. That person was Ryan Howard and his three-run homer in the 6th inning seemingly set the tone for the NLDS at the moment.

Lohse had a perfect game going through the first 10 batters while holding a 3-0 lead created by a three-run homer off the bat of Lance Berkman. But Chase Utley’s double that ended the hitless streak and Shane Victorino’s RBI single in the 4th gave the Phillies offense some life while cutting the Cardinals lead to 3-1.

The 6th inning marked end of Lohse’s night. After a pair of singles by Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence, the Big Piece stepped into the box and gave the Phils the 4-3 lead in a huge way.

Phils Ryan Howard stumbles after injuring his left foot leaving the batter's box. He has a torn Achilles and will have surgery (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Ryan Howard felt it as soon as he attempted to leave the batter’s box.

The sharp pain running through his body wasn’t just the end of the Phillies season dribbling to Cardinals second baseman Nick Punto. It was the pop Howard felt in his left foot that dropped Howard halfway down the first base line, leaving him in some of the worst pain during his 8-year career.

The injury was a tear to his left Achilles and it could potentially leave Howard out of the Phillies line up at least until May or June. He will have surgery this off season once the swelling goes down and there is, “no guarantee he will be ready for Spring Training.”

If the Phillies in fact lose Howard for a very long time, there needs to be some serious thought towards filling the 35+ homers and 120+ RBIs that Howard is good for every season.

There will come a handful of times where the Phils will need production from the four-spot in a late-game situation. Howard has provided that spark a handful of times during his career.

So how do you replace that? Howard’s time off could last only a couple months, making the Phillies decision a less drastic one. But there are also risks of set-backs.